World Junior 800m Champion David Rudisha of Kenya set a meet record as a host of other athletes clinched their second individual gold medals on the final day (12) at the Africa Junior Championships in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Rudisha – no surprise

Who would win the men’s 800m was never in doubt. The race was about who would claim the minor medals and by what margin the lanky Rudisha would outclass his opponents. The World junior champion breezed past the hardworking race leader Andre Olivier (South Africa) with 250m to go and went on to set a championships record of 1:46.41. Fellow Kenyan Leonard Kibet (1:47.95), Algerian Manceur Nadima (Algeria) 1:48.20, and Olivier (1:48.52) followed. He also ran the opening leg for Kenya’s victorious 4x400m relay.

“I competed here because it is important to grace the African Junior Championships even when you are a world champion,” Rudisha said. “We must identify with our roots and give the youngsters motivation to pick up the sport. That is how I came to be an athlete.” He is the son of Kenyan legend Daniel Rudisha, a former national 400m record holder and a member of the 4x400m Relay team that struck gold at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

Double gold medalists

Zimbabwe’s Gabriel Mvumvure completed a double when he won the 200m in 21.03.

What’s more he achieved this even though he was carrying an injury. “I have had pain with my shins for most of the season,” Mvumvure revealed. “After my physiotherapists have a look at it, I should be alright and ready to attempt lowering my personal best in the 200m (20.91) at the World Championships in Osaka, Japan,” said the All Africa Games 200m finalist.

South Africa’s Constance Mkenku was the most decorated athlete at the championships. Her 200m (23.96) victory, came after the gold medals won in the 100m and 4x100m relay. “Osaka is about gaining experience. I will not be a junior forever. If I can lower my 100m personal best (11.27) which I achieved to secure the silver medal at the All Africa Games, then I will be satisfied,” says the streetwise teenager.

By winning the 1500m Ethiopia’s Emebt Etea earned her second gold medal having earlier won the 3000m. Aggressive front running in the 5000m paid off for Kenya’s Mathew Kisorio. Having earlier clinched the 10,000m title he has dispelled the myth that it is no longer possible to pull a double in both races at the same championships.

Championship records

Egypt’s flamboyant Samir Lotfy Karim delighted the crowd with some acrobatic moves during the High Jump contest. In return the crowd cheered him on as he successfully set a championships record of 2.17m. Earlier Sudan’s Faiza Omar (58.59) set a women’s 400m hurdles championships record.

In terms of medal hauls, Kenya are the Africa Junior Athletics champions after amassing 13 gold, five silver and three bronze medals. Defending champions South Africa were runners-up followed by Egypt, Ethiopia, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso and Mali in that order. The Seychelles will host the next Africa Junior Championships in 2009.